Surely, we can say that technology has helped us to do a lot of things and has made our lives easier. In fact, we can also say that technology has made it easy for us to cause destruction to our own planet. But is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Human-made mass exceeded all living mass for the first time
During the past 100 years, the amount of human-made mass has increased from 3% of the global biomass to nearly triple the weight of all living things. It is expected to exceed three teratonnes by the year 2040.
Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, examined how global biomass and anthropogenic mass have changed over the past century. The study focused on six categories of human-made objects. These include buildings, roads, tunnels, dams, aircraft, and other types of vehicles.
The research team found that the mass of manmade material had been increasing at a rate of approximately 5 percent per year since the Second World War. The increase was driven by urban development and enhanced consumption. The weight of anthropogenic materials doubles every twenty years.
Technological revolution has made it easier than ever to cause destruction
Keeping pace with technological advances may be akin to playing Russian roulette with human life. But, if the name of the game is to live longer, work harder, and play nicer, how do you plan to go about it?
There are a few things that have made modern man’s best days a thing of the past, but there is an old standby that remains true even in the 21st century: the power of the crowd. A great example of this is the emergence of a cult of misfits known as the self-declared techies, akin to the bourbon fueled boors of the past. This group is a great counterpoint to the more established and stable members of the family. The trick is to recognize that the cult of misfits may be a permanent fixture on the social landscape.
Artificial intelligence has made great leaps and bounds in the past 16 years
During the past sixteen years, artificial intelligence has made great strides in many areas of technology. These breakthroughs range from image recognition and natural language processing to decision-making and video generation. But there are still some areas in which AI is not fully incorporated into everyday life.
One major problem is that most implementation projects don’t address job loss upfront. As a result, they may run into real-world barriers that lower the appetite for further investment. This means that leaders may have to consider whether AI can really be helpful.
Another issue is that people are afraid of disruption to their existing work. If AI is to truly benefit humans, it should be fair and just. It should not have to fulfill all demands.